1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in pressure cookers, and more particularly to a compact, lightweight pressure cooker assembly which is especially well-suited for backpacking and camping purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
In the course of recreational activities such as hiking, backpacking and mountain climbing in which outdoor camping is anticipated, only minimum equipment required for personal needs will be carried. One of the most common utensils carried for such purposes is the open skillet. The open skillet is well-suited for food preparation at sea level or relatively low elevation field conditions. However, when used at higher elevations, for example in the mountains, longer cooking times are required because of the lower ambient pressure at the higher elevation, and correspondingly more fuel and longer cooking times are required to provide fully cooked food. Additionally, most backpacking recipes are designed for cooking at sea level conditions, and the cooking time specified for such recipes must be modified according to an altitude chart to ensure that the food is cooked properly.
A cooking technique which is ideally suited for high altitude cooking is cooking under pressure, that is, within a pressure vessel. Besides being a fuel and time saver, pressure cooking locks vitamins into fresh foods and cooks vegetables to a tenderness not possible in regular cooking. Additionally, cooking under pressure allows the food contents to reach higher than boiling temperatures, for example 228.degree. F. at five pounds, 240.degree. F. at ten pounds, 250.degree. F. at fifteen pounds, thereby destroying tough bacteria spores in low acid foods.
A variety of pressure cooking equipment is available, especially for home use for the preservation of fresh foods. This equipment is generally constructed of heavy gauge aluminum and usually is quite large in order to accommodate several canning jars. Because of its size and weight, such equipment is entirely unsuitable for backpacking purposes.